The Tribune

THE Nassau Rowing Club (Nassau RC) plans to hold its fourth annual 12-hour ergathon at Solomon’s Fresh Market in the Old Fort Bay Town Center 6am to 6pm on Saturday, March 12.

The Nassau RC will aim to keep one rowing machine, known as an ergometer – erg, for short – occupied throughout the 12-hour period by club members and affiliates, who will row in half-hour shifts.

An additional two ergs will be available for interested members of the public to learn basic rowing technique, as instructed by Nassau RC members. There will also be a raffle for the chance to win a donated day trip for two on Powerboat Adventures.

Proceeds from the ergathon will go toward shipping costs to transport Nassau RC’s newest equipment acquisitions – a Wintech coxed four racing shell, and four Concept2 sweep oars – from New York to Nassau. This new shell will complement the current fleet of one coxed four and two double sculls, and will enable squads to engage in side-by-side training and intra-squad scrimmages in both boat classes.

A crowdfunding site has also been set up for supporters to donate online at https://www.gofundme.com/NRCErgathon2016.

“With membership expanding, this purchase could not have come at a better time,” said Kyle Chea, president and head coach at Nassau RC. “Previously, we have only had the opportunity to train side by side in our smaller boats, but this will raise the competitive level and diversity of our squads significantly.”

He encourages everyone to come out and support the club in this endeavour, and to learn more about this new sport in The Bahamas. The Nassau RC hopes to use this new addition to the fleet to introduce more local rowers to the sport.

Last year was the most successful and active year to date for the club, sending Lex Fountain and William Stanhope to represent The Bahamas at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August 2015.

In October 2015, the club also fielded three crews at the 51st Head of the Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the Men’s Veteran (60+) Single Scull, Men’s Club Four, and the Men’s Youth Double Scull.

This year, the club hopes that Emily Morley, a current senior and women’s rowing captain at Ithaca College, will be successful in her bid to qualify in the women’s single scull for the 2016 Olympic Regatta – a feat that would make her the first Bahamian rower to represent the country in this sport at the Olympic level.

The Nassau Rowing Club wishes to express its thanks to its corporate sponsors and partners for 2016-2017, including Holowesko Pyfrom Fletcher, Counsel & Attorneys-at-Law; Bahamas Medical Center; John Bull; Asa H Pritchard Ltd; Super Value; Lennox Paton Corporate Services Ltd; Solomon’s Fresh Markets; Odyssey Aviation; W.E. Services; Powerboat Adventures; Higgs & Kelly, Counsel & Attorneys-at-Law; PCL Imports; Cole Insurance; SunTee EmbroidMe; SMG Construction & Millwork; and Disston Realty.

The Nassau Rowing Club is a not-for-profit organisation, and was established on August 10, 2012 with the aim of developing the premier competitive rowing programme in The Bahamas for rowers of all experience, age and fitness levels.

For more information, contact the Nassau Rowing Club at NassauRowingClub@gmail.com, or via Facebook at Facebook.com/NassauRowingClub.